The Universe in a Box: Simulations and the Quest to Code the Cosmos

Available
4.9/5.0
21,000+ Reviews
Bookshop.org has the highest-rated customer service of any bookstore in the world
Product Details
Price
$29.00  $26.97
Publisher
Riverhead Books
Publish Date
Pages
272
Dimensions
6.35 X 9.25 X 1.11 inches | 0.97 pounds
Language
English
Type
Hardcover
EAN/UPC
9780593330487

Earn by promoting books

Earn money by sharing your favorite books through our Affiliate program.

Become an affiliate
About the Author
Andrew Pontzen is a professor of cosmology at University College London. He has written for New Scientist, BBC Sky at Night, and BBC Focus; lectured at the Royal Institution; and been featured as an expert on PBS's NOVA, the Discovery Channel's How the Universe Works, and other shows. Simulations are a major part of his research which spans cosmology, physics and computation. He lives in London.
Reviews
Praise for The Universe in a Box

"Compelling. . . . This book is a testament to the amazing potential of simulations to reveal new truths about the world around us and our place within it. An enthralling analysis of simulation, a formidable technology that may usher in a new era of cosmology." --Kirkus

"Pontzen excels at translating quantum physics and other difficult concepts into lay-friendly terms. . . . this look at the cutting edge of astronomy fascinates." --Publishers Weekly

"A truly excellent exposition of a fascinating, little understood, and very important scientific activity. I was enlightened, amazed, and profoundly impressed. I've seldom seen a book so clear, so vivid, and so full of--well, interesting things." --Philip Pullman, author of the trilogy His Dark Materials

"Just when the universe thought it was too big and old for us to comprehend, scientists like Andrew Pontzen began capturing it in their computers, and the story of their work is exhilarating." --Matt Parker, author of Humble Pi

"Andrew Pontzen gives a vivid perspective on what it's like to be a scientist trying to 'model' the universe--and doesn't shy away from highlighting the mysteries that are coming into focus. This fascinating book, written with clarity and zest, deserves wide readership." --Martin Rees, Great Britain's Astronomer Royal

"An electrifying new history of the universe and how it all fits together, and of the human effort to unlock its mysteries." --Hannah Fry, Professor in the Mathematics of Cities at the UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis and author of Hello World

"Our reality is most likely not a simulation, but it is stunning just how powerful modern simulations have become in describing it. Forget telescopes and microscopes, Pontzen's laboratory sits inside his computer and it is quickly becoming the most important tool in science." --Jim Al-Khalili, Distinguished Chair, Professor of Physics, University of Surrey and author of The World According to Physics